‘Strong ally’: Australia won’t return fire on tariffs
The clock is ticking for Australia to secure an exemption to Donald Trump's steel tariffs after he accused leaders of breaking their word on an export deal.
economy, business and finance
Aussies opt for regional living, pushing up home prices
A continued shift of Australians moving to regional towns for lifestyle reasons has boosted property prices at the expense of capital city values.
credit and debt
economy, business and finance
housing and urban planning
mortgages
regulatory policy and organisation
‘No-brainer’ home ownership boost for HECS debt Aussies
Australians saddled with student debt who want to enter the housing market will be given a helping hand, under changes to lending requirements.
‘Governments shouldn’t own airlines’: Rex rescue panned
A possible government takeover of failed airline Rex has come under fire, with the sector declaring a taxpayer lifeline would create an uneven playing field.
Dutton weighs in on RBA amid banana price rise warning
Floods in Australia's north are expected to cut economic output and nudge up banana and sugar prices, as the opposition weighs in on a forecast rate cut.
Bank moratorium ‘too late’ for rural towns left behind
The federal government has announced a moratorium on regional bank closures, but it's cold comfort for those who have already lost their local branches.
breaking_news
economy, business and finance
international (foreign) trade
iron and steel
metal
politics
tariff
Trump raises steel tariffs, weighs Australia exemption
US President Donald Trump has announced 25 per cent tariffs on all steel and aluminium imports but is "considering" a carve-out for Australia.
breaking_news
economy, business and finance
international (foreign) trade
international relations
politics
tariff
trade agreements
trade policy
Australia must be a ‘model ally’ in US tariff talks
Australia must prove its relationship with the US is mutually beneficial to earn another exemption from steel and aluminium tariffs, experts say.
Albanese to press Trump for tariff breaks for Australia
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese will attempt to secure Australian companies an exemption from US tariffs in a direct phone call with President Donald Trump.
Trump to announce 25 per cent steel, aluminium tariffs
Donald Trump is poised to announce 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminium imported to the US but It's not yet clear how and if Australia will be affected.
‘Hold the line’: politicians say goodbye ahead of poll
Retiring politicians have issued rallying calls to the nation to remain optimistic about the future as they bid farewell ahead of a federal election.
Sony PlayStation Network outage angers gamers worldwide
Sony's PlayStation Network has experienced a major outage across the world, leaving tens of thousands of gamers unable to access online services.
Economic uncertainty clouds business investment outlook
The value of planned investment projects, such as road and rail infrastructure, has fallen as businesses cut costs in response to rising economic uncertainty.
Treasurer courts business with productivity promises
Helping businesses leverage clean energy and AI will transform Australia to its "fourth economy" and improve productivity growth, Treasurer Jim Chalmers says.
Australia tops index as virtual power plants take shape
Australia is poised for virtual power plants that connect households and slash bills but an expert warns nuclear reactors could force users off rooftop solar.
consumers
economy, business and finance
electricity production and distribution
energy
energy and resource
environmental issue
international (foreign) trade
natural gas
politics
‘Golden age of gas’: households, manufacturers miss out
Households and manufacturers have been left worse off by the east coast gas bonanza, and exporters face new competition from cheaper sources, a report warns.
States warned to tighten spending or pay more to borrow
States' "lax financial discipline" has earned a rebuke from a credit ratings giant, which says they are at risk of paying higher interest bills to service debt.
Musk-like efficiency role ‘strange’ call for Australia
Australia must cut red tape and reform its tax system to boost productivity and safeguard against a looming trade war, the Business Council says.
More than $15bn a year to save threatened species
Climate change and other threats have 16 species headed for extinction no matter how much money is spent, new research shows.
Trump says new US sovereign wealth fund may buy TikTok
An executive order signed by US President Donald Trump is set to create a sovereign wealth fund for the United States.
China’s new tariffs seen as ‘measured response’ to US
China has retaliated swiftly with tariffs on US goods after President Donald Trump reignited the trade war between the two superpowers.
Big bank clips rates as RBA mulls next move
Strong retail spending figures are not expected to deter the Reserve Bank from cutting rates at its next meeting as one big bank lowers fixed-rate loans.
Jobs on a string in major energy grid expansion project
A transmission project in one of the most rugged parts of the world is a "litmus test" for whether a state government can stop jobs going offshore, an MP says.
US could feel ‘pain’ in China, Mexico trade war: Trump
US President Donald Trump has defended his decision to impose sweeping tariffs on products from Mexico, China and Canada as financial markets react.
construction and property
economic indicator
economy, business and finance
employment
interest rate
retail
Fresh data to shed light on retail, housing strength
Australians are expected to have pulled back on retail spending after major sales, with the latest data unlikely to shift the dial for the Reserve Bank.
Canada, Mexico retaliate with hefty tariffs on US goods
Canada and Mexico have swiftly retaliated after Donald Trump imposed stiff tariffs on his neighbours' imports to the US, amid fears of a widespread trade war.
Nothing can delay Canada, Mexico, China tariffs: Trump
Asked if there is any opportunity for the three top US trading partners to win a delay, on his tariffs, Donald Trump says: "No, no. Not right now, no."
Aussie shares set another record on back of rates hype
The ASX200 has risen almost half a per cent to finish at its highest-ever level and end January up 4.6 per cent from where it started.
US central bank holds interest rates steady
The US central bank has left its benchmark interest rate unchanged after cutting it three times in a row last year.
‘Year of the unit’: cost squeeze drives homebuyer shift
Rising unaffordability and changing lifestyles are driving an unusual turnaround in real estate dynamics as unit prices grow faster than houses in some areas.
Record renewables share in grid as power demand climbs
Emissions fell to record lows in the three months to December as renewables notched a record share and coal's contribution dipped below half for the first time.